Netherlands News in English
Netherlands news in English — Dutch national headlines covering politics, housing, immigration, the economy, transport and daily life, translated and updated throughout the day for the international community.
North Holland traffic: delays on the A7 and N242 during Wednesday morning rush hour, June 3
Morning rush hour on Wednesday, June 3, led to traffic delays on the A7 and N242 in North Holland. The congestion resulted in several minutes of travel time loss for commuters in the region.
Kuipers and allies want new deal on greening healthcare
Former Health Minister Ernst Kuipers and other climate advocates are calling for new government agreements to further the sustainability of the Dutch healthcare sector. They urge ministers to continue...
90 cents for five ice cubes in a plastic cup: TikTok trend hits Dutch supermarkets
Dutch supermarkets Albert Heijn and Jumbo have started selling plastic cups with ice cubes to follow a popular TikTok trend among young consumers. While the product is intended for on-the-go convenien...
Boulders seem to be on their way out in Haarlem: ‘This is a City of Flowers, not a city of boulders’
Haarlem is phasing out the use of large Scandinavian boulders in public spaces following growing political opposition. Critics argue that the 'Flower City' should prioritize greenery over stones, lead...
De Groenhoek prepares fresh daily meals for young and old. Neighborhood stores allowed to stay in Velsen after all
The Velsen city council has decided to allow neighborhood shops to remain unrestricted, citing their essential social function within the community. Local business De Groenhoek in IJmuiden serves as a...
Castricum hosts no asylum seekers and has no sites in mind: Municipality summoned to explain; ‘We count on understanding’
The municipality of Castricum currently provides zero asylum seeker reception spots and lacks concrete plans for future housing. Consequently, the local government must soon explain its lack of progre...
'What if this goes horribly wrong?' MPs alarmed by poor inspections and lack of oversight of municipal bridges
Dutch Members of Parliament have expressed alarm over reports of neglected bridge maintenance and poor oversight across various municipalities. MPs Chris Stoffer and Lucienne Boelsma-Hoekstra warned o...
Dutch virologist charged in US for importing mpox virus
Dutch virologist Vincent Munster has been charged in the United States for smuggling vials of deactivated mpox virus from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is also accused of lying to federal inves...
Pregnant woman after police incident: I was just asking a question
Malak Mahmoud, a pregnant woman who fell during a police intervention at an asylum seeker center, told Al Jazeera that she was merely trying to ask officers a question when the incident occurred. The ...
KLM and Transavia cancel flights to and from Portugal due to strike
KLM and Transavia have canceled several flights to and from Portugal on Wednesday due to a strike in that country. These cancellations affect flight schedules at Schiphol, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam air...
No machines, but a scythe: these volunteers help the municipality with green maintenance
Volunteers in Amsterdam have established the Zeiscollectief Amsterdam foundation to perform green maintenance using traditional scythes in areas inaccessible to heavy machinery. This eco-friendly meth...
One hundred homes instead of fifty at Heimanshof in Zandvoort-Noord: New coalition breaks old agreement
The new governing coalition in Zandvoort, consisting of OPZ, Jong Zandvoort, and VVD, has announced plans to build 100 new homes at the former Rückert riding school site instead of the previously agr...
Former professional footballer Danny Hesp guest of honor at football collectors' fair: 'As a boy I collected Panini stickers'
Former professional footballer Danny Hesp will be the guest of honor at a football collectors' fair held this Saturday at the Telstar stadium in Velsen-Zuid. Hesp, who was once considered for the Dutc...
Heemskerk, Uitgeest, Velsen, Haarlem and Haarlemmermeer remind ministry of Dispersal Act enforcement: ‘This creates tension in municipalities that do deliver and undermines support for shelter’
Several Dutch municipalities, including Haarlem, are urging the national government to strictly enforce the Distribution Law against local authorities that fail to provide asylum seeker housing. They ...
Turkey extradites brother of Bolle Jos to the Netherlands
Turkey has extradited 50-year-old Harry L., the brother of the fugitive known as 'Bolle Jos,' to the Netherlands to face money laundering charges. The suspect was arrested upon arrival at Rotterdam Th...
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on the ‘Rutte method’: how far can he go to keep Trump on board?
Former NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer warns that Vladimir Putin could take unpredictable actions as Russia loses ground in Ukraine. The discussion also addresses how Dutch Prime Minister...
Opinions divided on Míchel joining Ajax: "We just need to play better"
Ajax has reached a two-year agreement with Spanish coach Míchel to lead the team, sparking mixed reactions among fans. While some supporters express concern over his track record, others emphasize th...
Amsterdam cancels 82,900 parking fines: majority waived after appeal
The city of Amsterdam canceled over 82,900 parking fines last year after more than 65% of filed objections were declared well-founded. While approximately 19% of the waivers were due to municipal erro...
Donald Pols stumbles over pro-apartheid past. 'This man wasn't just a little wrong, he was truly wrong'
Donald Pols, the former director of Milieudefensie, has been dismissed from his position at Tata Steel after reports surfaced regarding his past. Investigations revealed that Pols served as the chairm...
Alkmaar suspect (44) in armed shopliftings dies in custody
A 44-year-old suspect from Alkmaar has died of natural causes while in detention. The man was being held in connection with two armed shopliftings involving a knife that occurred in Haarlem and Hoofdd...
Queen Máxima unable to play football with actor Bas Muijs due to injury
Queen Máxima was unable to participate in a football match with actor Bas Muijs during the launch of the "De Onzichtbare Blessure" program on Tuesday. The Queen declined the invitation due to an inju...
Castricum's 2026 budget turns out negative after all: 2.3 million in the red
The municipality of Castricum anticipates a preliminary budget deficit of 2.3 million euros for 2026, reversing earlier positive financial forecasts. These figures were presented in the framework note...
Dutch Ministry of Defense to phase out software from controversial company Palantir within two years
The Dutch Ministry of Defense plans to stop using software from the American technology company Palantir within the next two years. State Secretary Derk Boswijk stated that the government aims to tran...
Viva! Care Group receives silver sustainability certificate: 'We are an example for the sector'
Viva! Zorggroep has been awarded a silver certificate from Milieuthermometer Zorg for its commitment to sustainability. This certification recognizes the healthcare organization's environmental effort...
Inflation will continue to rise as long as the war in the Middle East persists
Inflation in the Netherlands continues to rise due to the conflict in the Middle East, with May price increases significantly higher than in previous months. While De Nederlandsche Bank does not expec...
Haarlem family business installs massive heat pump as Dick (70) loves ‘the thrill of the challenge’
A local family business, Gascontrol, has installed the largest heat pump in the North Holland province on top of an office building in Haarlem. The project was led by 70-year-old Dick Pieters, marking...
KLM cancels flights to Uganda after Ebola measures
KLM has temporarily suspended its flight services to and from Entebbe, Uganda, following the implementation of international travel restrictions due to an ebola outbreak in Central Africa. Although En...
EO program Adieu God? to return with Rachel Rosier as host
The EO television program "Adieu God?" is being renamed to "Adieu! Volgende kaart" for its upcoming season. Rachel Rosier will take over as the host, succeeding long-time presenter Tijs van den Brink.
Area off the coast of North and South Holland to become protected nature zone for birds
Minister Jaimi van Essen has announced plans to create a new Natura 2000 area off the coast of North and South Holland to protect bird species. This designation will complete the nature protection zon...
Thermal energy storage falters, but Haarlem continues gas phase-out: No link between technology and policy
The city of Haarlem remains committed to its gas-free transition despite recent technical failures in a thermal energy storage system at the Schalkstad apartment complex. Residents suffered through fr...